You Could Be Nearing Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the stage when your body starts to transition to menopause , and can occur anywhere from your mid-30s to your 40s. When women become perimenopausal, your ovaries donât have a synchronized secretion of hormones anymore, Dr. Christmas explains. Fluctuating hormones may increase water retention and bloating, and some foods, like dairy, can make it worse. Usually, by the time you reach menopause, estrogen levels drop, and bloating tends to subside, she says.
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What Causes Abdominal Swelling
Your abdomen could be swollen for different reasons. These range from eating too much to pregnancy. Only your doctor will be able to determine the exact cause of your swollen abdomen.
A common cause of abdominal swelling is gas. Swallowing air as part of a nervous habit or from eating foods that are high in fiber can lead to gas production. If you dont release this gas, it can lead to abdominal swelling.
How Is Ascites Treated
Limiting sodium in your diet is crucial for treating ascites. For people with ascites, recommended sodium intake is less than 2,000 to 4,000 milligrams a day.
A dietitian can help create a healthy eating plan for you. You may also need to take diuretics . These water pills help fluid and sodium leave your body.
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What Are Complications Of Ascites
Ascites can lead to:
- Abdominal problems: The fluid buildup may lead to pain, discomfort and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can interfere with your ability to eat, walk and do daily activities.
- Infection: The fluids can become infected, called spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. You may have fever and stomach pain. Call your healthcare provider if you have these symptoms. Youll need IV antibiotics and long-term antibiotic treatment to keep the infection from coming back.
- Hepatic hydrothorax, or fluid in the lungs: Abdominal fluid fills the lung, usually on the right side. You may experience shortness of breath, cough, chest discomfort and hypoxemia . You may need thoracentesis to remove the fluid.
- Ascites-related hernias: The increase in abdominal pressure can lead to hernias, specifically umbilical and inguinal hernias. Your healthcare provider will discuss your treatment options.
- Kidney failure: If cirrhosis worsens, it may lead to kidney failure .
You Live A Sedentary Lifestyle
Diet and lifestyle also play a role. A sedentary lifestyle is linked to having higher amounts of that hard-belly visceral fat . Women are more likely to store fat as subcutaneous fat than visceral fat, though they start storing visceral fat when they reach menopause.
There are many ways to get started moving moreeven getting up and walking around more frequently during the day matters. If you want a gym routine and dont really know where to start, try this total body workout.
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Why Does My Stomach Hurt After Eating
Stomach pain is a common and usually short-lived, benign symptom. Almost everyone has experienced a bout of stomach pain after eating, often as a result of dietary indiscretions. But if you frequently have stomach pain after eating, or if pain is severe, see your medical practitioner recurring stomach pain after eating can coincide with potentially serious health issues.
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Causes Of Stomach Distension
By paying a little closer attention to your eating habits, you can help prevent excessive bloating. Heres a quick list of sneaky foods and habits that could be to blame:
Gum chewing. Your favorite breath-freshening pastime may be the number one cause for a straining waistband. When you chew gum, you swallow air which gets trapped in the GI system and extends the stomach.
Eating too fast. When you eat a large amount of food in a short period of time, your GI system doesnt have enough time to digest and dispel. A backed up system means a buildup of gas and fluid, causing distension.
Drinking from straws. When you go to sip a drink from a straw, you first suck in a straw-length volume of air, which ends up trapped in your stomach.
Not enough fiberor too much. Fiber is notorious for moving things along. When youre backed up, excess gas in your GI track cant escape, causing you to bloat. Next time you need a snack, reach for fibrous-skinned produce like apples and strawberries. Make sure to go easy on insoluble fibers like beans and lentils. Eating too much of these produces excessive gas.
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When To See A Doctor
Sometimes, bloating and shortness of breath occur due to certain food choices or overeating. In such cases, the symptoms usually disappear once the food has passed through the digestive system.
If bloating and shortness of breath do not go away within a day or so, a person should talk to a doctor. They may have an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.
A person should seek immediate medical treatment if they experience any of the following symptoms alongside bloating and shortness of breath:
- severe abdominal pain
- vomiting that lasts for longer than a day
- loss of control over bladder or bowel movements
- dark, bloody, or tarry stools
Those who experience shortness of breath as well as the following symptoms need emergency medical attention:
- severe chest pain that spreads to the arms, back, neck, or jaw
- tightness or heaviness in the chest
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A More Serious Condition Such As Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common condition that causes abdominal pain with bloating, diarrhea or constipation. The cause of IBS is unknown, but it may be brought on by certain triggers, including:
- Bacterial infections
- Food sensitivity
- Stressful events
If you think you may have IBS, reach out to your doctor for an evaluation. Many times, lifestyle modifications and medicines can help ease symptoms. You may also try some at-home techniques to relieve your bloating.
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Diagnosing Abdominal Swelling And Bloating
Often, abdominal bloating is non-specific in location, and pain can radiate from its source to another area. Because abdominal swelling and bloating have many causes, the diagnosis often has to be speedy. This can help you get prompt treatment for certain serious causessuch as bowel obstruction or appendicitis.
The first thing your healthcare providers will do in assessing your abdominal bloating and swelling is take your medical history and perform a physical examination. You will be asked about the duration, pattern, and location of your pain, as well as any associated symptoms you are experiencing and whether anything makes it better or worse.
Your physical examination includes an assessment of whether you are in distress, your temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and breathing rate.
Your provider will examine you to determine whether you have a specific location of pain or swelling. For example, a sense of bloating in the upper abdominal area could be associated with a peptic ulcer, while swelling in the lower abdomen on one side is more likely to be associated with an ovarian cyst.
Diagnostic tests can include:
Additional tests may include minimally invasive tests. During an endoscopy, a tube is placed into the throat, and during a colonoscopy, a tube is placed in the colon so your doctor can view areas of potential disease.
How Common Is Stomach Bloating
Between 10% and 25% of otherwise healthy people complain of occasional abdominal bloating. As many as 75% describe their symptoms as moderate to severe. About 10% say they experience it regularly. Among those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome , it may be as much as 90%. Up to 75% of women experience bloating before and during their period. Only 50% of people who experience bloating also report a distended abdomen.
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How Is Bloating Treated
Bloating will usually go away by itself if you adjust your diet for a while. Cut down on salty foods, carbohydrates and fizzy drinks. For some people, it can help to avoid foods that contain onion or garlic, wheat, rye, lactose products or stone fruit.
Bloating caused by constipation can be treated by eating more high-fibre foods, increasing the amount of water that you drink, and exercising regularly. Some people may need laxatives to treat constipation.
If you have a medical condition such as coeliac disease, you will need to follow a strict diet to prevent bloating and other symptoms. If you have IBS, following a high-fibre diet and the low FODMAP diet may help. This involves cutting out some dairy products, wheat and other grains, and some fruits and vegetables. Talk to a health professional such as your doctor or a dietitian before starting this diet to make sure it is right for you.
If you have a food intolerance, you may need to try an elimination diet to find out which food or foods are causing your problems. Your doctor or dietitian will advise you.
Some people find that probiotics containing lactobacillus and bifidobacterium can help with bloating by reducing the production of gas in the gut.
Bloated Stomach After Eating
Feeling bloated after eating is very common, although the causes of bloated stomach after eating may be completely different and as such the treatment you may need. The first question to ask yourself in order to effectively stop bloating after eating, is whether everytime you eat you feel bloated and uncomfortable, or if you only experience bloated stomach after eating certain foods, meals or in certain scenarios that involve problematic eating habits The latter is very common . Eating fast, eating when you are stressed or while at work, eating while drinking, emotional eating or eating too much are common causes of bloated stomach after eating. Even if you eat healthy foods.
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Swollen And Hard Belly In Cats With Ascites
Ascites is the medical term for certain types of abnormal fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity. There are various causes of ascites, but veterinary examination is required to identify and treat it effectively. Ascites can explain why our cat has a swollen and hard belly, but this is a symptom of another condition. To know the underlying cause of a swollen abdomen in cats, we need to look at the causes of ascites.
Why A Rock Hard Stomach May Be Unhealthy
by CareWell Urgent Care | Aug 20, 2018 | Other Ailments, Uncategorized |
Building up an impressive, chiseled set of abs is top fitness goal for many men. However, if you experience a feeling of tightness in a your stomach, it may not be the result of healthy intentions. A rock hard stomach may be the result of digestive or hormonal issues, and there are several symptoms to be aware of if youre questioning the tightness in your abdominals. So what causes a hard stomach, and how can you fix it?
What is a tight stomach?
A tight stomach can feel different for everyone. Most commonly, it may feel as if the muscles are contracting and creating pressure in the stomach. The tightness is often a temporary, however, it can also be a symptom of an underlying condition.
Causes
Though a tight stomach can be caused by chronic stress, it is more likely to be triggered by physical symptoms. Those symptoms include:
Treatment and prevention
Treatment depends on the specific cause, but there are several things you can do to reduce the chances of a tight stomach including:
- Regular exercise
In most cases, a tight stomach doesnt require a visit to the doctor. However, you should seek immediate medical attention if the tightness is accompanied with severe nausea, weight loss or difficulty breathing.
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If You Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease includes Crohnâs disease and ulcerative colitis. These conditions are based in your immune system and involve a lot more than an upset digestive system, through that can be one of the symptoms. Food doesnât cause IBD, and thereâs no single diet that helps everyone with IBD. But it can help to keep a food journal so that you learn what your trigger foods are, then you can avoid them.
Why Does My Stomach Feel Hard When I Press On It Not Pregnant
Generally, you expect a hard stomach when youre pregnant. Your hard-feeling stomach is caused by the pressure of your uterus growing and putting pressure on your abdomen. The hardness of your stomach while pregnant can be more pronounced if you eat a low-fiber diet or drink a lot of carbonated beverages.
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Why Does Your Stomach Hurt After Drinking Water We Have Answers
There are several potential reasons why someone might experience stomach pain after drinking water. In most cases, the discomfort is likely to be caused by a minor digestive issue, such as indigestion or acid reflux.
However, there are some other potential causes that should be considered, including infections, inflammatory conditions, and even certain medications. Keep reading while we lay out the m,ost common reasons you are feeling the pain!
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Can Ascites Be Cured
Treatments for ascites can help improve symptoms and reduce complications. In some patients, ascites may resolve with diuretic therapy or with TIPS or liver transplant. In the case of alcohol-associated hepatitis, ascites may resolve with improvements in liver function. Follow your healthcare providers recommendations to stay as healthy as possible.
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Bloated Stomach After Eating Anything
If you experience stomach bloating after eating or drinking anything, even after eating very little or only a small meal, you may want to look into the following common conditions known to cause bloating:
Trying to manage bloating without identifying the causes of the bloating can be very frustrating. Whatever you do, you get bloated stomach after eating, even when drinking or eating very little. This is also very common, , yet often overlooked.
Vague Upper Abdominal Pain Associated With Nausea And Belching
Sometimes stomach pain is hard to identify or comes with multiple symptoms. Vague pain in the upper and mid-abdominal area that is linked to nausea, burping, or belching could be signs of a heart attack, particularly in older individuals. Physicians say tests like an ECG or cardiac markers can be lifesaving. They also warn that vomiting with back or jaw pain and shortness of breath can also be a sign of a life-threatening emergency.
Women are also more likely to experience abdominal pain or digestive issues during a heart attack. Its important to learn how heart disease, including heart attacks, can affect women differently.
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When Does Your Belly Start Feeling Hard During Pregnancy
This varies, but it’s usually during your second or third trimester. As your uterus grows, it eventually pushes against your abdominal wall, making your abdomen feel firm. The muscles and ligaments around your uterus stretch, too, which can cause mild cramping.
When you’re about 20 weeks pregnant, your uterus is at your belly button.
Some women never get that hard, defined pregnancy belly, and that’s okay. Just like our bodies are different before pregnancy, they’re different during pregnancy, too! Tall women have more vertical space for their growing uterus, so often will show later. Full-figured or plus-size pregnant women have more padding, and the distinct outline of their bump is blurred.
Belly hardness can also be caused by gas, a common pregnancy side effect. You get gassy because of hormone changes that slow the rate at which food passes through your digestive tract. Because of this slower pace, your food spends more time in your intestines, giving the bacteria that live there more time to produce gas.
Pregnancy exercise can help move the gas through, as can safe over-the-counter medications. Eating fiber-rich foods that are broken down can be helpful, too: Try applesauce instead of apples and cooked spinach instead of a raw salad. Carbonated beverages make some women feel particularly bad, since they add gas to their gas.
Why Does My Stomach Burn After I Eat
Its happened to many of us before: not long after finishing a meal, you have a gnawing or burning stomach pain. While many may write it off as simply heartburn, it may be a symptom of gastritis, a common condition that can occur gradually or suddenly in response to certain triggers, such as food.
Not surprisingly, diet and lifestyle can have a significant impact on your digestive health and your overall health, which is why it is so important to pay attention to what you eat.
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When Should You See A Doctor
Stomach bloating and lower back pain often go away on their own or are alleviated through OTC medication and home remedies. However, you should consult with your healthcare provider if your symptoms come on suddenly, are unexplained, or are persistent and severe enough that they interfere with your daily activities.
Stomach bloating and/or lower back pain may indicate a serious condition if accompanied by:
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Urine that contains blood and/or pus, is cloudy, or foul-smelling
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Painful urination or difficulty in urination
If you are pregnant, contact your doctor immediately about any worrisome or unusual symptoms.